U.S. consumer prices were flat last month, the latest sign inflation is in check. That could give the Federal Reserve leeway to continue its efforts to stimulate growth. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.3 percent in January, pushed up by higher costs for apparel, air fares and rents.

Lower gas costs offset more expensive food and higher rents to keep a measure of U.S. consumer prices flat last month. The Labor Department said Wednesday that food prices increased 0.2 percent in December from November. Rents and airline fares also rose. Gasoline prices fell a seasonally adjusted 2.3 percent.

Surveying the raft of end-of-year surveys floating around right now, it quickly becomes apparent that not only are our taxes set to rise in 2013, but the cost of a whole lot of other stuff is going up, too. The question is: How much more expensive will life get in the new year? Here are the grim statistics.

The seasonally adjusted consumer price index dropped 0.3 percent in November from October, the Labor Department said Friday. Gas prices fell 7.4 percent, the steepest drop in nearly four years. That offset a 0.2 percent rise in food prices.

Higher gas costs drove up U.S. consumer prices in September for the second straight month. Outside energy, there was little sign of inflation. The Labor Department said Tuesday that the consumer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6 percent last month.

U.S. consumer prices were unchanged in July from June, as a small drop in energy costs offset slightly higher food prices. The consumer price index hasn't changed since March, evidence that the weak economy is keeping inflation in check.

The Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, is only as effective as the assumptions it makes -- in this case, about what you buy. If you spend more on certain things than most people, then the CPI will do a terrible job of reflecting the prices you actually pay. In particular, retirees often don't fit the CPI profile well at all.

Consumer prices rose modestly in January on higher costs for food, gas, rent and clothing. But economists downplayed the increase, saying inflation will likely ease in the coming months as prices for raw materials level off. The consumer price index increased 0.2 percent last month, after a flat reading in December, the Labor Department said Friday.

Colgate-Palmolive, stung by higher costs, saw fourth-quarter net income decline more than 5 percent but said Thursday that it had raised prices in North America for the first time in two and a half years.

Consumers paid less for gas, cars and computers last month, as overall prices dropped for the first time since June. Inflation is easing after prices rose sharply this spring. The Labor Department said Wednesday that the Consumer Price Index dropped 0.1 percent in October. A steep drop in gas prices led the decline. Food prices rose, but at the slowest pace this year.

For its Cow Appreciation Day Friday, Chick-fil-A gave away free sandwiches to customers who come in wearing cow costumes. We talked with CEO Dan Cathy about a herd of other issues including rising food costs, industry trends, the economy and how his values affect the company's bottom line.

As earlier bouts of alarmism over Europe, then a double-dip recession and then deflation fade away, a new bogeyman is taking their place: Inflation, and the damage it could do to profits and stocks. Yes, prices are rising, but the main pain will be felt worst among America's poorest.

Dire warnings about higher prices notwithstanding, not everyone in the consumer-staple sector expects to be a sorry victim of inflation. Count General Mills among those who aren't afraid of the inflation bogey. It has been raising prices, and analysts are applauding.

The nation's struggle to prevent deflation is apparently only just beginning. The 12-month core rate (excluding food and energy prices) fell to a record low 0.6% from 0.8% in September. The Fed clearly has more work to do in its battle against deflation.

The current flatness in prices isn't what the Federal Reserve wants. It would much rather see a little more inflation in the economy. Says Great Depression scholar Ben Bernanke: "Further disinflation would be unwelcome." The Fed has work to do on that score.

The search giant may use its vast database of Web-shopping data to construct a daily measure of inflation called the Google Price Index, or GPI. It can be calculated much quicker than the official CPI, but it covers only what can be sold on the Web.